


A decent proposal

by smaragdbird



Series: Terror Rare Pair Week [13]
Category: The Terror (TV 2018)
Genre: Background Relationships, Fitzjames and Blanky are good friends, Friendship, Jopson and Crozier adore each other, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Self-Esteem Issues, Somebody Lives/Not Everyone Dies, Teasing, because Sir John Franklin is still as dead as a doornail in this AU, this is a homophobia free alternative universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-17
Updated: 2019-11-17
Packaged: 2021-02-08 03:43:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21469516
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smaragdbird/pseuds/smaragdbird
Summary: Written for the Terror Rare Pair WeekCrozier is quite nervous about a question he wants to ask Jopson.Fitzjames and Blanky fail to see why he's so nervous about it
Relationships: Captain Francis Crozier/Thomas Jopson
Series: Terror Rare Pair Week [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1542748
Comments: 2
Kudos: 25
Collections: The Terror Rarepair Week 2019





	A decent proposal

“Why are you nervous?” Fitzjames sounded like he genuinely couldn’t understand Crozier’s problem.

“He thinks Jopson is going to turn him down”, Blanky replied.

“Jopson literally followed you to the ends of the earth without complaining.” In other circumstances Crozier would’ve enjoyed hearing Fitzjames sounding so flabbergasted. Right now though he was too distracted making sure his uniform looked right.

“Exactly. He might be sick of Francis by now”, Blanky said with fake concern. “Also Jopson is a good looking lad. He could have his pick of choice if he wanted.”

“True”, Fitzjames said, and like Blanky, ignored the glare Crozier shot in their direction. “Lieutenant Irving is single.”

“Irving’s more interested in his bible and mathematics than marriage of any kind”, Blanky replied.

“Ah”, Fitzjames nodded with understanding. “Lieutenant Little perhaps? If Jopson likes tall, dark handsome men that is. He does have a lovely smile and he’s of good character, loyal, steadfast…did I mention handsome yet?”

“I will banish you both from this house if you continue”, Crozier interrupted him before he could tempt himself into retying his neckerchief for the third time.

Both Fitzjames and Blanky started laughing. 

“You worry over nothing, Francis”, Blanky told him and not for the first time either.

“Do you really think marriage is going to scare off Jopson after everything he’s done for you?” Fitzjames just couldn’t wrap his head around Crozier’s insecurity.

“Were you not nervous?” Crozier asked, looking at Blanky.

Fitzjames and Blanky shared a look, then both shrugged simultaneously.

“I wasn’t the one asking”, Blanky said. “Esther said I’d better marry her before I went off into the ice again or she wouldn’t be here when I got back.”

“Dundy and I eloped”, Fitzjames admitted. “But don’t tell that to anyone. My sister in law would never forgive me. She’s having too much fun planning the wedding.”

Crozier could understand why Fitzjames had kept his marriage quiet. The Admiralty would have never allowed LeVesconte to serve on Erebus if they had known he was Fitzjames’ husband.

“I guess it’s not bigamy if you get married to the same person twice”, Blanky said.

Fitzjames’ confession did have the effect of distracting Crozier long enough for Jopson to return home. The townhouse belonged to James Clarke Ross but he had told them to stay for as long as they wanted. Ann had just brought their fourth child into the world so the family wouldn’t travel to London any time soon. Jopson could’ve stayed with his brother but Ross’ house was much closer to the Admiralty, who had eventually permitted Jopson to sit the Lieutenant’s exam, which he had passed with flying colours.

Fitzjames, who had been approved for a command next year, had already appointed him to his new ship, the Nyx, who was to set sail for Crimea.

As they could hear Jopson coming up the stairs, Blanky and Fitzjames took their leave. 

“Don’t worry, Francis”, Blanky said, patting his shoulder.

“I’ll tell Elizabeth to send you a joint invitation”, Fitzjames said, winking. 

They greeted Jopson on their way out, who hopefully hadn’t heard their last remarks to Crozier.

“What did your brother say?” Crozier asked as Jopson poured them both a cup of tea. There were a thousand small ways in which he still took care of Crozier even though he didn’t have to anymore.

“He said he’s only going to be impressed if I return from Crimea as First Lord of the Admiralty”, Jopson smiled as he shook his head about his brother’s joke. “It’s strange. He was almost still a child when I left, now he’s running our father’s store.”

Crozier knew that that had been the expectation for Jopson once he returned from the arctic. But his father had died while he had been at sea and so his brother had taken over instead.

Quiet as always he appeared next to Crozier with the cup of tea. “Is something wrong?”

“I have a question I wanted to ask you.” Crozier could feel his heart race in his chest. He had faced icebergs, blazing infernos and a supernatural creature with less anxiety than this.

“You can ask me anything, you know that.” Jopson looked at him with bright eyes, fair as a summer’s day as the poet said and Crozier wished he had some artistic talent so he could commit him to paper or canvas.

“It is a selfish question”, he stalled.

“Anything.”

Crozier took a deep breath. “Would you marry me?”

“Yes, of course, you must know that. How is this a selfish question?”

“Because you are about to embark on a, I have no doubt, great career. And I am asking you to commit to me.”

Jopson framed Crozier’s face with his hands as he said, “Francis, you are a brilliant man and I love you but sometimes you are also the stupidest man I’ve ever met.”

But before Crozier could answer to that, Jopson had already kissed him. And would, in the future, kiss him every time Crozier brought up doubts about his suitability as Jopson’s spouse.


End file.
